Timeless Moments With You: Relapse
by Raspberry Snow
Summary: "I don't want you to obey me. I want you to join me. Or would you like to work alone? Work alone, fail alone, and die alone, with no one around you. Cause in the end, everything still will be your fault.You just want them to be happy again so they will think you're a hero. Its too late to be the hero now." A second chance could just be a way to relive the horrors again. (A Rewrite
1. Blind to the Truth

**Imagine that you once lived a life of crime- you were a fairly known criminal who committed all sorts of crazy schemes and enjoyed doing what you did, and despite all the insane plots you created and brought to life, you got away with all of it. And then imagine, after living a couple years of this secret life, you settled down into a normal life. You got yourself a new home, a well paying job, maybe even a couple kids when after a year or so, and then there's a knock on your door. Next thing you know, you have criminal organizations calling for you to come back for a special mission.**

 **That short analogy is there to explain how I felt about publishing a new story here. *_***

 **So I'm still getting emails about people reviewing and favoriting my work. I never left even though it may have seemed like it since I stopped writing.**

 **(You could say I'm omnipresent)**

 **But anyway, I began writing this rewrite back in February last year, and I planned to begin publishing it in July last year but never did. The rewrite consisted of eight chapters since then. I had a ninth chapter, but a couple months ago an incident caused me to lose a lot of my files. But I decided to bring this out of the darkness and finally show the world what I have left.**

 **If you're wondering why I've been gone, I've been busy working on my own projects. Actually, fan fiction was my way of practicing and developing my skills, so I guess this can be seen as a tribute to where I began.**

 **Anyway, here the first eight chapters of the rewrite of my first story which remained one of my favorites over the years, "Timeless Moments With You." If I don't continue this, I'm still leaving the original story up, although I don't consider these two stories to be the same since I planned to change a lot of things in this story. But if you guys seem to really enjoy this story, maybe I might take the time to finish it after all.**

 **So dear reader, whoever you are, enjoy these eight chapters. (Keep in mind most of these chapters haven't been edited for over a year.)**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Blind to the Truth**

 _"When we lose something, be it a job, a relationship, or a dream, we want to know why. Whose fault was it? Who should I be mad at, because I really want to be mad at someone!"_

 _\- Phil Vischer_

Larryboy knew one thing for sure- he just lost to Awful Alvin.

He could not see anything anymore. He almost would have thought of it as a just a dream if it were not for the terrible evil laughter he heard or the quick pounding of his heart. As hard as he tried to not believe it, Larryboy knew it was over. Nothing could be done now.

Nothing.

Larryboy lay back on the cement in the middle of the street, his eyes blankly staring up at the sky.

"Larryboy? Are you all right?" a British accented voice asked frantically in his ear.

"Ha, staring at your new leader, are you?" another voice laughed close to his face. "C'mon my minions, let's leave him here. It's not like he can do anything now."

It all started as a regular day. How ironic it is that such an unexpected terrible event always seems to happen on that one rare day where everything seemed right. The sun hung brightly in a clear blue summer sky. A light breeze made the air feel the right temperature. Children laughed and chased each other down the sidewalks while the adults would stroll off to work or just drive down the traffic-less streets. Then reports of a criminal attacking central Bumblyburg came in. Just a normal day.

Well, a villain in town was a normal day for Larryboy at least.

As the town's proud superhero, Larryboy was always fighting every villain out there. It was what he did best. In fact, he loved every bit of it. And he always defeated them, thw day ending up a criminal in the black and white stripes of prison and everyone breathing in relief.

Today the villain was the infamous Awful Alvin the onion, one of the most known terrorist of Bumblyburg. He fought along with his sidekick, Lampy, who is your average floor lamp. Obviously, he was crazy. That was not a good thing.

Countless times Alvin struck Bumblyburg with his own plans in hopes of those plans actually succeeding. Every villain did the same routine over and over again, with the exception of Larryboy coming in and setting them in the new routine that ended with them losing. Of course, Alvin ignored the possibility of this and went on.

This time, Alvin's plan was to set out on the city with robots, probably one of the oldest ideas in the book. But hey, why not?

Alvin's particular robots were like most robots, made of metal and other robotic parts, making them classify as a robot. Alvin designed these robots to hover above the ground. Aside from this difference, the robots has those beady red eyes that gave them all threatening looks, robotic claws, and antennas on top of their heads that let them be controlled by a satellite Alvin set up somewhere. They obeyed every single messed up command Alvin demanded. On their backs were the words in red, "ALL HAIL ALVIN," like advertisements trying to hypnotise customers with mesmerizing fonts and pictures.

Larryboy did not take this as much of a big deal. It was just another mission, another adventure, where he would win. Just robots, just Alvin, just another day of being a superhero. Easy.

Larryboy's plan was to find that certain satellite that Alvin used to control the robots and destroy it. Again, it should be easy. Larryboy might as well could have skipped into town smiling and blown up every single robots just by walking past them. Or so he thought.

The robots were tougher than Larryboy thought. Alvin's designs and mechanism were flawless almost. One second Larryboy would stand in front of a robot, the next he would be thrown on the ground or once even being used as a rope in a game of tug-a-war between two cruel robots.

The day went by, and things did not go according to plan. Larryboy searched endlessly for that satellite, but the robots got in the way. Meanwhile, things in town began to go downhill. People jumping out of their cars mid-driving just as a crowd of robots flooded the street. Screaming children fleeing from parks like it was a horror movie. Robots, robots, everywhere, more than people.

Hours passed. The robots were just too powerful. How come this took longer than it should have? How come Alvin was...defeating him? No, maybe Larryboy was just tired. Tired from failing to stand a strong defense in robot attacks. Tired from trying to save any bystander he passed to no avail, since it would seem like they would just take one look at Larryboy and run off as if they had to fend on their own, despite Larryboy being there.

Larryboy decided to drop the plan of finding the satellite and find Alvin and Lampy instead. That had to be easier. Surely, Alvin had to be parading around somewhere. It turns out, he was. But Larryboy found that out in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Larryboy found himself feeling weakened and tired, panting in the middle of a intersection in a road,full of more running people rather than cars, when hundreds of robots poured in from all sides. Larryboy gasped and looked around. He was surrounded. Then came in Alvin, smiling wickedly while riding on one robot like a parade float. In his hand was Lampy, smiling all friendly and kind, unlike Alvin, who would insist he was just as evil.

Alvin cackled evilly as the metallic mob made a small circle around him and the trapped Larryboy. "Well, nice to see you arrived, Larryboy."

Alvin held up Lampy, brought his face closer to his, and said to his best friend, "I sorry about this, Lampy." Alvin suddenly pulled a pair of sunglasses seemingly from the air. He summoned the robot behind him forward. The robot's head rotated revealing a panel at the back of his head. It flipped open, showing an electric socket. Alvin pulled a cord out from Lampy's post and plugged him into the robot.

Instantly, the brightest, whitest light shown from the top and bottom of Lampy's shade like a massive light shining from a lighthouse.

Then Alvin leaped off the robot and strutted with his sunglasses towards Larryboy, swinging Lampy in the air as he approached. Larryboy squinted his eyes from the nearing bright light, but it would have not prepared him for what was next.

"You know Larryboy, it would be terrible to get this hot, blinding light coming from this new light bulb I designed for Lampy in your eyes," Alvin sneered. Then without warning, Alvin aimed Lampy and swung.

Lampy's shade smacked Larryboy right in the face. The hot radiance left Larryboy's face feeling scorched and the last thing he saw before the blinding whiteness was Lampy's innocent face.

Larryboy fell back into the pavement groaning with his eyes shut. He opened his eyes once more to glare at Alvin, but neither Alvin or the surrounding robots showed up in his vision.

"Hey!" Larryboy panicked, "I can't see anything!"

Alvin waved a hand in front of Larryboy's blank eyes. "Looks like I defeated you with robots and Lampy. Was it always _that_ easy to defeat the so "powerful" Larryboy himself? What a surprise. How come no one ever thought of this idea?"

Alvin's mocking voice rang through Larryboy's head. Was he really just defeated with nothing more than Alvin's robots and a lamp? It could not be, it was too ridiculous.

Unless he really was the problem.

"No...I didn't lose. I can still stop you," Larryboy said.

"Over here."

Larryboy turned to face Alvin's voice, only to get hit in the face by Lampy again.

"Face it, Larryboy. You failed. You always win, but now that's over. Really, I almost pity you. How embarrassing. A superhero who lost...like _this_? I always thought you were pathetic, but this is an all new low. An epic fail. You had one job, and you failed. I can't blame you though, I _am_ an awesome villain," Alvin mocked.

Larryboy was taken back a bit, but tried to regain his strong brave mein. "Surrender or-"

"Or what? What? What, Larryboy? Huh? What are you going to do? It's over. It's already over. You can't do anything. I don't get how no one ever realized it before, you can't do anything!" Alvin laughed.

"I defeated you before-"

"No, you didn't. Someone else always had to help you, or someone else would come up with the brilliant plan and you would just play along and get the credit."

Larryboy was silent. A voice somewhere inside of him agreed on how true that seemed.

"Since you can't do anything by yourself, you should join me. Nah, I can't use such a misfit like you. But if you ever change your mind, just come over to me and say "All hail Alvin." Hey, I have an idea. Let's do that now! I already won! All hail Alvin! All hail Alvin!" Alvin began to cheer. "Join me, minions! All hail Alvin! ALL HAIL ALVIN!"

"All hail Alvin," the robots repeated monotonously.

Alvin began laughing out of control. The robots did too, but still in an unchanging robotic voice.

The only person not laughing was Larryboy. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, he lost.

It did not matter if he joined Alvin or not. It would not change the fact that he lost.


	2. Error Not Found

**Chapter 2: Error Not Found**

 _"What was I wishing for?_ _I was tired from chasing after it."_

 _-niki_

There was screaming as the statue of Bumblyburg's founder fell down like a tree. There was even more screaming from the certain asparagus almost crushed by it.

Archibald Asparagus, Larryboy's partner in fighting crime and his closest friend, got down to the city as soon as he saw it fall to practically hell. It was a miracle how he even got there, considering the state the city was in now.

It was total anarchy. Already, plans were being made to build statues of Alvin. Robots roamed everywhere, outnumbering the number of living souls. They chased after every citizen until long lines of chained people were being lead different directions in the streets. Even criminals were freed from jail, only to be put in chains along with everyone else as they cursed out Alvin as a traitor.

Families and friends were torn apart as each were about to be taken to different areas to work. Many cried like it was their holocaust. But everyone wondered the exact same thing: "What happened to Larryboy?"

Awful Alvin held Lampy in a firm grip as he stood on top of a robot levitating high above the city. He had a crown made of yellow notebook paper on top of his head. A satisfied grin appeared on his face. He looked down at the city, which looked more like an ant farm on the verge of madness. His eyes widened along with his smile.

"Robot number 574, move a little more in this direction," Alvin said, pointing Lampy forward.

Meanwhile, Archibald ran past the chains, robots, and screaming, and stumbled into a quieter ally where the chaos echoed still.

"Larryboy?" Archibald whispered yelled, hoping to catch the attention of the right person and not any of the robots. "Larryboy, I looked all over the city, and it seems Alvin does not have any knowledge of where you are!"

"Right here."

Archibald jumped and looked around until he saw Larryboy slumped against a wall, hidden in the shadows of a garbage truck. Archibald ran up to him.

"Master Larry, what are you doing here?" Archibald whisphered, "Shouldn't you be out there fighting?"

"Well first of all, I'm here because I'm kinda blind now," Larryboy said in a depressed tone, "and second I'm hiding from the robots."

A huge explosion from outside the ally startled Archibald, who automatically sat in the shadows next to Larryboy.

"Point taken," Archibald muttered, "But after you recover-"

"There is no after."

Archibald widened his eyes and looked at Larryboy. "What do you mean, of course there is!" Archibald said nervously.

"No...there isn't," Larryboy repeated.

Archibald turned his head to face Larryboy. "Larryboy?" Larryboy continued to silently look down, not meeting Archibald's eyes. "You're supposed to be the hero-"

"He hit me in the head with a lamp!" Larryboy said angrily, staring at Archibald.

"Oh come now, Larry, is that really so much to freak out over?"

"It's not just that. Alvin also said that I can never defeat him on my own!" Larryboy said.

"But you have!" Archibald persuaded.

"No, I haven't. All those times there had to be someone helping me, and even if I did fight alone, someone else's actions still helped me!" Larryboy replied.

Archibald looked like he to say something else, but he paused. He thought back a little as he looked around at the almost unfixable destruction. He looked back at Larryboy and murmured, "I guess you're right."

"What? You don't think he's wrong?" Larryboy asked, shocked.

"No, that's not what I said!" Archibald quickly said, "But about what Alvin said, it's not like anyone would think that!"

"They hate me," Larryboy said suddenly.

"Who hates you?"

"Everyone, Archie, everyone hates me!" Larryboy said, "I failed. I had one job to do and I failed. There was no one to help me and I thought I could do it, but I failed! I thought I had everything planned out, but I made an error! I'm an ERROR!" Larryboy burst out.

Archibald said nothing after Larryboy's outburst. Larryboy looked up, his vision cleared a little. "So what was that thing you said earlier?"

Archibald hoped Larryboy would not see the panic that spread on his face.

"Well, what I said-" then Archibald remembered something. "Several months ago a I was in town when running some errands when a ripped paper blew into my face. It was a handwritten article a representative for the Bumblyburg Science Laboratory wrote- vaguely something about opening a doorway through time."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Larryboy asked depressedly.

"I think they discovered how to time travel," Archibald said, "I think. The scientist can be a little crazy, but this can be our chance. And who knows what is was doing flying around in the breeze, but perhaps it was a good thing."

"Our chance?" Larryboy asked.

"If we confirm this with the scientist, we can go back in time. You can have a second chance! That way, since you have no hope for the situation now, you can just have a fresh start!"

"Yeah," Larryboy said, then finally smiled, "Of course! A fresh start!"

"That's the spirit!" Archibald, "Then its settled! We will try to go back to the beginning of the day! I'm glad to see you back to your old self!"

"No."

Archibald dropped his smile. "What?"

Larryboy looked straight ahead with his blind eyes and smiled ambitiously. "Not to the beginning of the day. Farther. To Alvin's past."

"Alvin's past?" Archibald asked.

"Think about it, Archie. Not only can we stop today from happening, but all the past crimes! I can prove Alvin that he is wrong! I can stop all his crimes at once!" Larryboy said with courage.

"What do you mean?" Archibald replied, although he could tell where Larryboy was going.

"We can try to stop him from becoming evil in the first place! He couldn't have been evil all his life!" Larryboy said.

"Hmmm," Archibald thought, "It seems a little risky, but I suppose that could work!"

Larryboy suddenly jumped up. "Let's go stop, Alvin!"

"Larryboy, wait!" Archibald yelled, getting up.

And as if he forgot his current situation, Larryboy blindly rammed into a streetlight outside of the ally.

Archibald ran to Larryboy's side. "Let's hope your vision clears back by then."

But Larryboy did not hear him. As Larryboy lay on the ground, one thought sat in his mind.

"I can't make any mistakes this time."

Fortunately, Larryboy's eyesight returned just as he and Archibald stumbled through Bumblyburg. With Larryboy being a "wanted criminal" of some sort, they had to run in the shadows. This was hard considering the chaos Alvin caused.

Robots were stationed in every place you looked and infested the town. People ran in different directions, all running from one robot to only end up running into another. Some buildings were already damaged, but it seemed this was only the beginning.

Archibald and Larryboy finally burst into the doors of the science labs building. There various scientist seemed to be preparing for a lock down. They covered up inventions and boarded up windows. In fact, Larryboy and Archibald burst through the doors just in time.

At first, the duo both tried to explain their plan in unison but only sputtered and endless string of words. When they finally calmed down, Larryboy simply asked if they had a time machine.

One bushy-faced scientist replied, "Well why didn't you say so? Its right behind that curtain," he said, pointing to a large maroon curtain behind him.

"Wait, you mean you actually made a time machine," Archibald asked surprised, "and you are letting us have it?"

"Of course," said a scientist with large glasses, "Its all for a good cause anyway."

Two scientist stepped up to the curtains and pulled them to the side to reveal a machine the lenght and height of a jeep. The machine was oval shaped with a large gaping opening on one side and three metal walls on the other sides. The front and back were protruded to a triangar shape and were shorter in lenght compared to the other two sides of the oval prism. The main color of the machine was teal with other flashes of green, yellow, and neon green.

"Wow," Archibald and Larryboy said together.

After a couple of seconds of silence though, Archibald added, "Its rather bigger than I imagined."

"It was the only prototype that did not fall apart," one tall and lengthy scientist replied.

Larryboy and Archibald walked closer to the machine to view the open inside of the machine. The walls were covered with flashing lights and buttons all contributing to the machine's color scheme. The only wall without a large array of buttons besides the opening was the back wall, which held a smaller keypad next to a larger obvious lever. A black screen above the keypad read in red neon lights, "00/00/0000." On the floor of the machine sat a medium-sized brown sack, with whatever it held inside poking at it and making it form a weird shape.

"What's in the sack?" Larryboy asked.

"Not sure," one scientist said, shrugging his nonexistent shoulders, "I think someone left it there by accident. Just leave it alone, it must be there for a good reason."

"So how does this work?" Archibald asked as he and Larryboy stepped into the machine.

One scientist stepped in after them and pointed to the large red-handled lever and the keypad. "Its simple. Just type in the date you want to go to and pull the lever down. Easy!"

"Then what are all those other buttons for?" Larryboy asked.

"Oh, those are just there for decoration," a scientist added, chuckling as she smiled.

"Well, thank you for your contributions to your fellow citizens," Larryboy said to the scientist in some sort of professional tone. Then he turned to face Archibald. "So are you coming?"

"Definitely," Archibald replied, "You can't go time travelling alone! Besides," Archibald smiled, "this sounds fun."

"So I'm thinking of checking out Alvin's childhood first," Larryboy said as Archibald checked out the keypad next to the lever.

"I'm just going to guess whenever that was. Let's try thirty years ago," Archibald said, typing in a date.

"We bid you a swell journey," said a scientist in the back of the group.

It seemed all the scientist were very optimistic about the current situation except for one who stepped forward with a paper.

"Please defeat Alvin," she said, her eyes staring hard at the ground out of a pair of square glasses. Then she lifted a paper up. "Alvin seems to be taking control almost two fast."

Larryboy stared at the paper holding his breath. The paper had a picture of Alvin. A crown was sloppily scribbled on it. In bold red was the word, "OBEY."

Larryboy's eyes went wide with nervousness but he reverted to a calm state in a second. "Don't worry," he said, taking the paper and stuffing it in his utility belt, "I am that hero after." Larryboy ignored Alvin's laughter that echoed in the back of his head.

"I think I found a good date," Archibald said. As all the scientist stepped back from the machine and Archibald got ready to pull the lever down, he asked, "Was this machine ever tested?"

The scientists looked nervous. "Congratulations, you're the first to try it out!" one said, trying to hide her fear.

Before Larryboy or Archibald could reply, Archibald has already pulled the lever down.

Immediately, the machine lurched forward. The atmosphere around the machine flashed to a scary pitch black, the only light coming from the million lights of the machine. Larryboy and Archibald were pushed to the floor by the strong force. At this time, the large gaping doorless doorway of the machine seemed to be a terrible idea as Larryboy and Archibald feared that they would be sucked into the unknown void of time or whatever it was.

Larryboy continued to scream as Archibald kept ironically yelling to keep calm. The machine shook slightly, but when added to the other terrors of their first time travel, the machine was expected to just explode.

Suddenly, the machine came to an abrupt stop. Larryboy and Archibald lay shaken up on the floor of the machine, slowing their hurried breathing.

"That...was terrible," Larryboy said standing up. He looked out the machine to see that the building of the science labs was replaced with a gated off alley way. Larryboy walked out of the machine to approach a tall wooden fence. He looked through a hole in the fence to see what appeared to be Bumblyburg but...different.

Girls in large loose t-shirts with elastic shorts over leggings and guys with slightly baggy pants were everywhere. Some sort of electro music played from a colorful band that sat on sidewalk. And everyone's hair looked messed up and seemed to defy gravity.

Larryboy looked at Archibald, who joined him at the fence. Archibald grinned back.

"Welcome to the 80's!"


	3. The Kids Are All Wrong

**Chapter 3: The Kids Are All Wrong**

 _"How can one little street swallow so many lives?"_

 _-The Offspring_

Suddenly, the weird colorful and poofy-haired people started screaming, everyone gaping at a certain direction. Larryboy and Archibald looked back through the fence and gasped.

A ten-foot robotic spider came from a corner behind two buildings, plowing them over. It crawled into the street, stepping on various cars and breaking through stoplight wires.

Out of the sky fell a caped superhero, who launched himself into one side of the spider and took out all four legs on that side. The spider became unbalanced and crashed to its side, surrounded by the cheering of a gathered crowd.

Larryboy and Archibald watched as people ran to look at the spider and the super hero standing proudly in front of it. Larryboy noticed that the superhero looked familiar then gasped with realization.

"He...could he be Pruneman?" Larryboy asked out loud. Larryboy eyed the superhero more and his thoughts appeared to be confirmed.

Pruneman was a retired superhero in the present, but at the moment in time he was young and in action. Larryboy remembered that Pruneman was one of the superheros who took watch over Bumblyburg years ago. Even though he was a somewhat loose elder in the present, he was still wise and respected.

"Hey Archie, you know how all those superheroes from the past are still remembered for being great?" Larryboy suddenly asked.

Archibald simply responded, "Yes," then added, "Why?"

"Well, what do you think people will think of me in the future?" Larryboy asked, "after what happened today?"

Archibald was silent as he and Larryboy watched Pruneman leave the area and a police officers surrounded the robot spider with yellow tape. Several reporters were jotting down notes or taking pictures of the scene while a group of children ran around the scene, curious.

"Or," Larryboy said, breaking the silence as he watched the children talk about how amazing Pruneman was, "what do you think everyone thinks of me right now?"

Archibald tried to think of something to say. "Perhaps they will think highly of you after we complete our mission here."

Larryboy blinked his thoughts away. "Right. So what are we supposed to do now?"

"Well, considering we are guessing Alvin was younger here, we should look around by asking all those children over there," Archibald said.

"Ok then! Let's go!" Larryboy said, finding a gate in the wooden fence and pushed it open by an inch before Archibald interrupted him.

"Wait, you can't go! People will remember seeing you because of how you are dressed like a superhero! This might change the past more than we intend to!" Archibald said. "I'll go. No one should remember me so well."

Larryboy looked at his butler's suit and shrugged as Archibald walked through the fence and tried to catch up with the children who were how crowding around on the sidewalk.

"Excuse me, children," Archibald called out in the middle of the kids, but their endless chatter drowned him out.

Archibald walked to two peas fighting over a basketball until it rolled out of their grasps and into the street. Before any of them could move, Archibald grabbed their attention.

"Do any of boys know of someone named Alvin?" Archibald asked, just realizing he was not so sure of what to ask. He knew nothing of who Alvin was back then.

"No," one boy said stubbornly.

"He is an onion," Archibald added.

"No," said the other pea.

"He...he might..." Archibald was lost for a good explanation.

"Whatever, old man, we don't care," said one boy as they both ran after their ball.

"Hey, I'm actually really young!" Archibald yelled after them when he heard girly giggling from the side of the building where the time machine was hidden next to.

Archibald walked up to a group of four gossiping little girls. They all stopped talking and stared at him awkwardly

"Do any of you know of an onion named Alvin...who may or may not be your age," Archibald stated.

One carrot scoffed as the rest continued to stare. "Never heard of someone like that," she said rather rudely.

"What is with these children?" Archibald muttered, "I can only imagine what they do to others their age.

At that moment, disco music started to play on the sidewalk. The large group of children looked up to find the source.

One short and scrawny kid with a plain white shirt and dark blue shorts stood on the corner of the sidewalk. A red wagon that held a boom box was parked behind the corner of the building. The kids were silent as the one with the boom box suddenly began to dance.

His moves were actually full of talent and, as they said in that decade, what you would call "groovy." A smile broke out on his face as he let his small self move within the beat. Archibald, meanwhile, was forgotten as he watched the little boy dance. Larryboy, far in the back behind the fence, watched attentively as well.

But to the two's surprise, all the kids burst out laughing. An orchestra of names and insults override the disco music. The kid stopped dancing in shock.

"What a loser! He's so lame!" said a couple of bigger kids, all joined by the rest. "Let's just beat him up!"

"What are you doing?" the little kid cried out in fear.

A tough looking potato and tomato grabbed him and suspended his body upwards, pulling his limbs apart. He became the target of flying dirt, paper, sticks, soda cans, and whatever the other kids could find. Archibald and Larryboy, both a little far from the chaos, winced. Both did not know the worse was yet to come.

The kids surrounded the boom box. The weakened victim was suspended by his arms as he can only beg and plead for the kids to stop. But his cries were ignored as the kids laughed and kicked the boom box without a care in the world. They stomped on it and left it broken beyond repairs.

Larryboy gasped from behind the fence, his heroic heart breaking. He called out and whispered to Archibald.

"Archibald, do something!" Larryboy urged.

Archibald broke out of shock and yelled over the children, "Hey, stop it! Leave him alone! This is just uncivilized of all of you!"

The small boy's eyes threatened to spill over with tears as he stared at the floor. He was dropped and left helpless on the cold sidewalk as the band of kids ran away after hearing Archibald, quickly teasing him all the same.

The scene was silent except for the noises of the city and the streets as Archibald walked to the poor kid and helped him up.

"Why are all the kids here so mean?" Archibald asked, "Are you ok?"

The boy, who Archibald identified to be an onion, dusted himself off and nodded. "Yes, but it looks like my boom box is gone." Trying hard not to cry, the kid picked up a broken dial from the smashed boom box.

"It's not fair," Alvin said, "I don't get why I have to be the weird one. No one likes me."

Archibald knew he should not mess with the past, but he felt obligated to do something.

"Well, its ok to be different," Archibald encouraged, "You should just ignore them! What about your family? Surely they love you!"

"My family doesn't love me. They just like to make me do chores and do what they ask? I'm telling you, that's not what love is!"

"What? No, that's- they don't mean- Do you have any friends?" Archibald asked.

"Only one," the boy said, walking behind the building and pulling his red wagon out to reveal a floor lamp with a face drawn on it.

"Lampy never makes fun of me or tries to hurt me," the boy said happily, hugging the tall floor lamp.

Larryboy's jaw dropped as he stared at the lamp. "Lampy...that must mean?"

Archibald stepped back in shock, "Wha-what's your name?"

The boy smiled and said, "Alvin. Well, I have to go! Thanks sir!"

Archibald called after the Alvin, who ran away fast with his wagon and Lampy. "Wait!" But soon Alvin was gone.

"Archie!" Larryboy said when Archibald stepped behind the fence, "You have to find him and keep encouraging him! Sure, he does not seem evil yet, but whenever that happens we need to not let that happen!"

"I know, I wish I could have spoken to him a little more before he ran off!" Archibald replied, "Let me think of the best inspirational and motivational speech I can make! I'm sure it will help Alvin later when he begins to think being bad is fun."

"Well, hurry and find him! This is our chance!" Larryboy said.

Before Archibald could reply, a third voice said, "Looks like your time ran out."

Larryboy turned around and jumped back. There, standing in there time machine, was the grown up Alvin himself.

* * *

 ***I don't know who the Offspring were nor am I a fan of them. But that quote fits nicely.**


	4. Red Skies

**Chapter 4: Red Skies**

 _"_ _I saw huge buildings rise up faint and fair, and pass like dreams."_

 _\- H. G. Wells_

Alvin laughed at Larryboy's confused and startled expression.

"What's wrong, Larryboy? Surprised? I'm happy to say that your plans to defeat me have failed once again," Alvin sneered.

"No...how is this even possible?" Larryboy asked in shock.

"You came close, but you still fell for it! I was in that sack in the machine the whole time and you didn't suspect a thing!"

"But how would you know about the time travelling?" Archibald asked.

"You didn't think I would have you under surveillance?" Alvin asked, "I heard your desperate plans! And look closer, Larryboy! You're only proving my point by bringing that tuxedo guy along? Will you ever save the day by yourself? Unfortunately, I have tripped you once again-" then Alvin grinned, "Literally!"

Using one of his lower roots, Alvin swung at Larryboy's "feet" and knocked him down. Then Alvin took off and jumped inside the machine, randomly pressing a date in and put a hand on the lever. "Peace out, suckers!"

Larryboy and Archibald immediatly realized what Alvin was doing and sprang into the machine just as it flashed and disappeared.

The machine stopped before Larryboy even realized it. He stood at the dangerously wide opening of the machine and looked up to see a giant dinosaur roar in his face.

Larryboy turned to face the inside of the machine with wide eyes to see Alvin sprawled on the floor and Archibald flailing about on the mechanisms of the machine. A pair of claws dented the roof of the machine as roars thundered through the air. All three were screaming until Archibald finally yanked the lever down.

To their luck, the random date Archibald punched in landed them right in the middle of a forest. Larryboy stumbled back into a corner of the machine as the three faced two pioneers.

The two groups blinked at each other until one pioneer asked, "Do any if you know which way is Italy?"

But before anyone could answer, Alvin tackled Larryboy into the lever.

The machine zoomed forward in time as Alvin tried to push Larryboy out of the machine. Archibald panicked with the fear of losing Larryboy to...whatever the pitch black darkness beyond the machine was.

The machine stopped again behind a wooden fence once more. Larryboy listened and recognized the music of Alvin's boombox before the laughter of the bullies arose.

"Hey!" Larryboy said, "We're back here! We-"

All hope was lost once again as Alvin instantly rolled a hand across the numbered buttons and flung the switch down.

Archibald looked at the black screen above the keypad to see where they were going. Archibald gasped to see the red numbers changing at an extremely fast speed.

"I think its broken!" Archibald yelled.

Larryboy clung to the side of the doorway. "Try to get the machine under control!"

The time machine sped to a different scene in the exact same location every second, from before Bumblyburg existed to years closer to the present. In fact, Larryboy thought he saw the scientists panicking in their lab back in their time for a quick second.

Archibald somehow managed to get the machine to stop. All three sore passengers gasped in relief. Larryboy tripped on nothing and tumbled out of the machine. He looked up at the still atmosphere.

"Archibald...where are we?"

Curious, Larryboy left the machine. The machine sat on top of a pile of broken chunks of cement. Larryboy took a breath and coughed slightly at the foul air. Larryboy looked up to see that the sky was a dark red, and and everywhere that light landed was set at the same dark red tone. It seemed to be around night time but what part of the night was unsure. But light seemed to come from a few small random fires and flickering television screens.

"What is this place?" Larryboy muttered. He looked closer to see that they were in some sort of city, but the word "city" was more of an exaggeration. The buildings were absolutely devastated, covered in ashes and cracks. While most of the buildings stood, Larryboy spotted a couple that sat at an angle as if they were about ready to fall over. The most unfortunate buildings were not even buildings anymore but small heaps of wood and cement, although they looked like someone still lived in them.

Larryboy could make out what was supposed to be a street, but they were littered with more building debris, trash, and what even looked like a sleeping vegetable. At least, Larrybot hoped he was sleeping. The streets seemed unusable, but it did not seem like anyone was using them anyway.

As for the television screens, they were held up like billboards on poles and on a few stable buildings. Nothing was on the television screens currently except for a dark background holding a bold text in red, with different phrases such as, "I can hear you," "You're being watched," or even "Hail Alvin."

"Hail Alvin?" Larryboy asked out loud, breaking the silence as his voice echoed. What Larryboy did not notice were the small cameras and bugs hidden slightly that caught his every movement and words.

"Larryboy!" Archibald called, running from the time machine as Alvin looked around from the comfort of the machine doorway. "I checked the date and it seems...we are seven years in to the future from our time!"

"Seven years?" Larryboy asked, "But then where are we?"

Archibald thought to himself until his face darkened. "Well...from what I noticed everytime we arrived at a different destination in time, we changed time location but never area location. The time machine was never moved."

"Archibald?" Larryboy asked confused.

Archibald sighed. "I regret to inform you, Larryboy, but this appears to be Bumblyburg in the future."

"It can't be," Larryboy said, looking back at their surroundings. A poster fell at his feet. Larryboy recognized Alvin's face on the photo. Alvin's smug, laughing face that assured him that this was not a dream. Larryboy looked back at the pile of rubble where the time machine now stood. Larryboy looked around and saw a sign sticking out. One harder look and Larryboy could make out the faded Bumblyburg Science Labs logo.

"But...how?" Larryboy asked, "This...couldn't be real!" But in the back of his hand he could still hear Alvin's mocking laughter.

Archibald looked worried as well. "Well, maybe we should get out of here. We still have a chance to prevent this from ever happening-"

"Halt and state your business," a robotic voice called from above, followed by two other same monotonous ones.

Larryboy and Archibald both looked up to see three robots flying and descend in a circle around them. Larryboy recognized them as the robots Alvin built seven years ago.

"Halt and state your business," the robots repeated.

Larryboy was nervous. "I...I am..."

But before Larryboy could continue, one robot reached a claw out to him and grabbed him. As Larryboy struggled, a robot plainly stated, "Target captured."

Archibald spoke up, "Hey, what are you doing?" But as a response, one robots picked up Archibald and saying, "It is illegal to go without wearing a collar. You have been warned." Then, Archibald began to yell as he felt the robot's claw wrap tighter around him as the snapping of metal was heard. Then the robot threw Archibald against a building a few meters away.

The robots then without saying another word flew up and away, with Larryboy yelling.

Archibald sat up from the ground and dusted himself off. He looked up at the dull red sky to see that he had lost track of Larryboy and the robots.

He looked down at his neck to see that the robot put some sort of collar on him. It was made of a shiny metal and had one blinking green light. Archibald inspected it closer. He did not see any cameras or microphones,but he was still concerned about what it did. Archibald pulled on it even though it would do him no good.

Archibald stood up and looked around at what surely had to be Bumblyburg. He remember how sad Larryboy was before about his defeat, and seeing this must have done him no better.

Archibald really did not like this place, but he realized he could not go home yet- not without Larryboy.

Taking in a breath and summoning his courage, Archibald began to walk through the city, unsure of what he was to find.


	5. Screams that Harmonize

**Chapter 5: Screams that Harmonize**

 _"Evil is always devising more corrosive misery through man's restless need to exact revenge out of his hate."_

 _\- Ralph Steadman_

Archibald's eyes nervously darted from left to right. He jumped and leaned against whatever wall or anonymous chunk of garbage or cement he found when he saw a robot fly above or pass by. Archie could only guess what they were doing, but he could see a red scanner light shoot out from their eyes as they would say the phrase, "Scanning."

Archibald could not see any living people, and he wondered to himself where they were. He felt like he saw faces hiding in the debris from the corners of his eyes, but when he would do a double take the faces would disappear. Then Archibald would have to continue walking alone.

He tried to limit the echoes of his footsteps, but the ground was "crunchy" with ashes and garbage and there were no other noises to fill the air. But most disturbing to Archibald was that every five minutes or so, someone, a living thing, would scream somewhere in the city out of fear, pain, or sadness, or that the ground would start shaking and the dirt and rocks would start jumping as if a building somewhere was collapsing.

Archibald somehow grew accustomed to the air, no matter how thick and foul it smelled. It smelled like a mix of ashes, trash, some sort of industrial smell, and the smell of an onion. It was overwhelming, but Archibald had no right to complain as much as the people who could possibly live there. Archibald was only there so far for half an hour and could only imagine the misery of those who lived there for seven years. He hoped there were people who survived for seven years here.

"What about the other superheroes?" Archibald murmured to himself, "Even if Larryboy should fall, wouldn't the others help as well?"

Then a new question popped in to Archibald's mind. Where was Larryboy now?

Archibald was really wandering around the city, hoping to find some direction but everything looked the same with destruction, flickering screens, abandoned bonfires, and red. Red was everywhere, and the color was becoming an eye-sore.

Suddenly, a loud siren disturbed the silence. Archibald jumped and looked up at a screen that read, "Important message!" The screen remained the same as a gruff voice boomed from speakers all over the town. Archibald looked around to see if anyone was listening but found himself to be the only one in the open.

"Hello my slaves!" the voice called out, "It is I, your beloved King! Now, considering the time, I bet those of you not assigned night shifts are getting ready to sleep...well forget it! Its time!~" The voice sang in a cheerful tone. "Its time for another weekly session, so drag your worthless selves over to the auditorium of my palace. My minions are opening the gates and are expecting you. So you better come, every single one of you...if not?" A disturbing laughter erupted in Archibald's ears, "Well..."

Suddenly, the metal collar Archibald's neck began to buzz for a split second. Then a searing pain rushed through Archibald's entire body. Archibald screamed as the collar electrocuted him for a long five seconds. Through his pain, Archibald could hear more screams as if the entire town was screaming together.

When the collar stopped, Archibald slumped to a kneeling position, breathing heavily as his body recovered from the electric bolts that ran through him. He tried hard to pull it off again to no prevail.

"Perfect! Its...its," the voice snickered, "Your screams of pain harmonize so well together, you know? Now, get moving! I would like to hear you scream again."

With that, the transmission cut off and the screens returned to normal. Slowly, Archibald watched moaning people fill the streets. Archibald shook his head in disbelief at how everyone looked. They all wore the same collars as he, which meant every single one of them were shocked. Archibald gasped as he saw small kids wearing the collars as well. And every single person, wore the exact same thing, which were dark grey shirts and pants. They looked only slightly worn out and with a few diry smudges, but they still looked miserable.

Archibald looked down at his tuxedo covered in a few dirt smears, he realized he would stand out too well in the crowd. Perhaps even though the robots recognized Larryboy because of Alvin's preferences, Archibald went unrecognized. Still, he knew that even if the robots did not find his suspicious, someone else will.

Archibald saw that the citizens formed crowds and were marching themselves into a large building nearby. The building looked like a dark red mountain, with a wide foundation but with each floor seeming smaller than the one below. On top Archibald could make out a few objects, but from his view on the ground he could not tell what they were.

As for the crowds, they were marching themselves into four wide entrances, which all looked like garage gates. Two gates were each positioned in a wall, making the room they were entering have one corner jut out towards where Archibald stood. It seemed odd that no robots were leading the citizens, but then Archibald realized that perhaps the people have lost hope and marched on their own choosing. The dead look in their eyes seemed to prove it.

Archibald began to feel pity on the people but then realized he still had to find Larryboy. He doubted he would find him in the auditorium, so it seemed best to try to find Larryboy deeper inside the palace. And he would have to be unseen.

Archibald crept his way across a littered street until he made his way to one wall of the palace right behind a robot guarding next to an open entrance. Somehow the crowd's eyes were staring at the ground, so none of them bothered to look up and notice Archibald behind the robot.

Archibald looked at the rough dark red wall until he found a small gate. Archibald peered inside it to see that it was an air vent.

Quickly while trying to make as little noise as possible, Archibald pried the hinges of the door to the vent off and slid inside.

The vents were cold and dark, but there was still light that allowed Archibald to see. Archibald passed openings to different rooms, none of which seemed to hold Larryboy. In fact, Archibald still had no clue as to where he would be.

Archibald stopped crawling and began to think, his face illuminated by the striped lights pouring from one door beneath him. Archibald jumped in surprise when he heard a loud ringing sound in the room below him.

A voice grumbled and a click was heard, followed by a very angry, "Now what is it?"

Archibald instantly recognized the voice to be the same as the one on the speaker, and was ultimately none other than Awful Alvin himself. But Archibald could not get a good view of anything in the room but a desk and a coiled phone cord, which told him Alvin was on the phone.

"Found who?" Alvin's voice asked, but Archibald could only hear Alvin's side of the conversation as the voice in the other side of the call was a mere murmur to his hears.

"Isn't he here already?" Alvin asked, sounding bored and ready to hang up.

"What?" Alvin asked surprised.

"Hmm," Alvin thought to himself, "The science lab? I think I have a good idea of how, then. Where is he now?"

Alvin paused for a moment, then continued. "You didn't talk to him, did you?"

"Well good. Don't let him even see you! Now, listen carefully. I am no commanding the robots to bring him to the auditorium," Alvin said, followed by the typing of a keyboard.

"Yes, put him in the Shame Chamber. Also, make sure the slaves cannot see him, so the walls to the chamber should be closed. Now here's the really important part."

Archibald put his head closer to the room to catch more of Alvin's words.

"You see, the Shame Chamber..." Alvin giggled to himself, "It will become a makeshift laboratory, right there."

The murmur on the other end of the phone sounded to Archibald like, "You don't mean?"

"Yes, I mean it! Bring everything needed and load it on to my platform. We will transform him, right there, in front of everyone in the wide open! It will be so painful for them to watch! You should know, Arthie, you didn't even see the whole thing up close but you sure did break down!"

Alvin paused and continued after, "Now don't start now! Save it for later, and remember, don't even get close to him! Because of that little break down, I'm going to command my minions to shoot him all together on my mark! That way, he won't struggle so much!"

"What do you mean? What's so bad about having two of them? We can't let this get out of hand now. Its already too late anyway."

With that last sentence, there was a click of a phone being placed down. Then Alvin's footsteps hit the floor until the opening and closing of a door was heard.

Meanwhile in the air vents, Archibald was panicking.

"Shame Chamber? Transform?" Archibald asked himself. If Alvin was talking about Larryboy, that meant...they were going to...

Well, Archibald was unsure of what was going to happen, but it did not sound good. All Archibald knew was that there were two of something and that Larryboy was in trouble.

Archibald wanted to ponder about who this "Arthie" was, but he knew he was really running out of time. Now that he knew where Larryboy was most likely going to be, Archibald slid backwards through the vents, hoping to find where his friend would be.

He could only wonder what Larryboy was thinking about now.


	6. The One You Once Called Hero

**Chapter 6: The One You Once Called Hero**

 _"Making rackets for pleasure, when one thing ends, a new one soon will begin."_

 _\- Kuroneko Antique_

Contrary to the red tone of the town, the theme in the Shame Chamber appeared to be a sickening bright yellow.

Yellow cords hung from two walls across from each other in groups of three, totaling in six. Six yellow cords wrapped their way around Larryboy, wrapped so tight it almost strangled him. He was suspended against the wall behind him in the long narrow rectangular shaped room, hanging two meters off the ground.

In front of him was a metal with a small crack in the middle as if the walls could open and reveal his sad fate. On the other side of the wall Larryboy could hear a crowd of voices, talking among themselves. Whether they were happy or sad was the question.

Larryboy looked sadly at the floor as different thoughts ran through his head. From the view of the city below him and the palace the overtook the center of the city, he knew he failed in the past. He did not have a full idea of how he failed, as when he and Archibald went time travelling it was only the beginning of Alvin's chaos.

He made a mistake somewhere. He thought back trying to find it. But all he heard were different voices, from the screams of the citizens, to the doubt wavering in Archibald's encouragements, and to the laughter of Alvin that never ceased to mock him.

Larryboy shook his head, causing the cords to shake a little. Larryboy remained to hover in the air. It seemed as if everything was against him at the moment. It made him feel rather lonely as he dreamed to himself in the chamber.

Larryboy hoped to turn this whole thing around like it never happened, but now he began to think- he knew, now, that is something far away.

He still hoped. He was hoping all day.

Larryboy yelled to himself in the chamber, breaking out of the thoughts that ate away at his mind. His yells went unheard compared to the crowd's noises outside.

"Where's the mistake?" Larryboy asked himself, "I can't find it!"

From that moment Larryboy decided to just roll with it and see what happens. Just then, interrupting his thoughts, was the creaking of the air vent above him.

Larryboy looked up and gasped, "Archibald!"

Archibald smiled as he lowered himself out of the air vent, carefully and slowly balancing on one of the hanging yellow cords.

"Larryboy!" Archibald then called out, his face darkening, "We need to get out of here!"

"I realize that, Archie."

"No, this is really important!" Archibald said, climbing from air vent the yellow cords to the floor ten feet below. He looked at the metal walls. "I figured out Alvin's plan! He...I'm not entirely sure...but when these walls open, he will command a bunch of these robots to shoot at you! I'm not sure what they would shoot with, but after that Alvin will "transform" you into something! While it sounds very vague, it's still sounds troublesome!"

"What?" Larryboy asked in fear, then he began to struggle, shaking the ropes even more.

"How do we release these ropes?" Archibald asked, pulling on them as well.

Larryboy then noticed the collar around Archibald's neck. "What's that ring around your neck?"

Archibald looked at it again as he continued to pull the ropes. "I'm not sure about it, either, but earlier it shocked me. It appears all the people here wear it and Alvin can use them to hurt everyone at once."

Archibald then looked around at the walls of the chamber. They were all vacant except for one of the small side walls, which held a small door. Archibald opened the door to reveal a computer.

"Perhaps this is some sort of control panel?" Archibald said.

"Do you think you can find a way to unlock these cords?" Larryboy asked.

"Maybe," Archibald said, pushing some keys as many coded commands filled the screen.

Suddenly, the crowd outside of the chamber silenced. Larryboy and Archibald could not see what was happening but could only listen.

Meanwhile, outside in the bare "auditorium," which looked more like a bare gymnasium, the robots guarding the four entrances closed them. One robotic voice somewhere in the walls of the auditorium said, "All citizens present and accounted for. Now silence and pay respects to our supreme king and dictator, Awful Alvin.

The crowd went wild cheering and clapping even though it was obviously forced as a trap door above the room opened. Awful Alvin descended on a floating platform, smiling and waving. His clothes were shiny and black, complete with gloves and a cape of the same color. Next to him was none other than his sidekick Lampy, who still retained his friendly lamp-like appearance.

Loud grand music played until Alvin finished descending. Then he spoke to the weary crowd.

"My dear slaves," Alvin greeted, "Welcome to another weekly session! Now, before start," Alvin clapped his hands, "Say the pledge!"

Like brainwashed school children, the crowd murmured, "I pledge allegiance to Awful Alvin, my king and ruler of my home, and to Lampy, the best lamp in the world."

Alvin hummed the rest of the pledge he made up to himself, "I promise to always do as he says, listen to him, and know that he will always be better than me!" Alvin laughed at his "clev pledge" he made somewhere about six years ago while he ruled. Meanwhile, the rest of the citizens hated having to spit out the ridiculous pledge every week. But rebellion was a lost hope, as the first two years of rebellion only made everything worse.

"Now, why don't we start?" Alvin asked, "Today is an extra special session, but let's still continue as usual with our favorite movie!"

This "movie" was a five minute propaganda video Alvin put together. He made sure to show it every week as a single reminder that he had everyone under an iron finger. After the video, Alvin would go on to a few announcements, but those only consisted of new rules being issued, and holidays, which only celebrated Alvin's sake. Then Alvin would order the Shame Chamber to be open, revealing that week's victim. There was always one, from the old man who only did half his work to the little girl who cried so much that Alvin could hear her annoying cries echo throughout the town. And today was a very special case.

A screen was lowered in the center of the room as Alvin's platform moved to the side. A robot flew up to Alvin and handed him a small device. Alvin smiled and pressed a few buttons, choosing different video footages he wanted to show today. Soon the presentation started as Alvin began to narrate.

"So, I assume all of you know the story, but for the sake of the young ones, let me repeat again," Alvin said as a video began to flash on the screen.

"Seven years ago, before my gracious reign saved you all," Alvin said, "This town used to be called Bumblyburg." Video footage Alvin once took of the city showed on the video screen. The buildings in the video were the shiny normals skyscrapers they once were. The sun shined through the blue sky. There were various people in the video unaware they were being filmed, from the happy ice cream man to the calm policemen. The people in the auditorium eyed the lost freedom longily.

"What a misery it was," Alvin continued to narrate, "It wasn't fair that the lonely ones were left out. But you see, those who were hated tried to be happy. But then there's always someone who would get in the way."

The video flipped to what appeared to be a black and white picture of Larryboy ripped from a news article.

"Larryboy, the one you once called hero. My greatest enemy," Alvin moaned, clicking a button on his handheld device. The video then shown video footage that caught Larryboy smiling surrounded by cheering citizens while police officers lead a criminal away in the background.

"The one you once called hero, who always defeated every villain in this town, not letting them have a chance at victory."

One the screen showed Larryboy chasing after various criminals and breaking into different lairs to the shock of the villain residi

"I remember even the most evil ones put behind the bars," Alvin said, remembering the far past, "But even they were not as evil as I was."

A couple of enslaved people in the crowd bit back some insults, as they were those past villains. Even the villains Alvin chose to place behind bars instead of forming an alliance with them. And although those former villains rebelled as well, Alvin proved to have the upper hand still, treating them as equal to the rest of the public.

"Larryboy, the one you once called hero, did not remain the hero," Alvin said, begin to snicker to himself. After showing various videos of Larryboy, the screen went black.

"I, your great king, put an end to that lie. That lie that Larryboy was that hero as he claimed to be. And, well, while I aways decided to keep the exact details classified, he became who he is to me today and was always- not a hero!" Alvin said, finishing with glee. As for the screen, it showed a different scene every second, from Alvin sitting on a plastic throne to quick shots of the current state of the city to pictures of various metal structures.

When the video ended, the screen rolled back into the ceiling as Alvin took the center again. Smiling, he said, "And that is how we get here. This is what you get for believing in Larryboy in the first place."

Back in the Shame Chamber, Larryboy could only listen to Alvin narrate. And as much as he tried to ignore them, the words only eroded away at him more.

But Larryboy listened well to Alvin in order to gain any new information, but Larryboy was displeased that Alvin chose not to say the exact details of how Alvin truly defeated him.

Meanwhile, Archibald was working furiously at the computer. "I hacked into the robot army controls," he reported, "So they will not automatically shoot you on command."

"But what about these cords?" Larryboy asked.

Archibald nodded without looking up. "Still working on it."

"But I think Alvin is about to open these doors," Larryboy said worriedly, "We need a distraction so you can work more." Larryboy thought to himself. "I know! Alvin liked to dance, right?"

"Yes," Archibald said, "But how will that help?"

"Well maybe," Larryboy said, swinging back and forth on the yellow cords, "If you can find a way to put on really catchy music on in the whole room, Alvin will start to dance and forget about everything!"

"That could work," Archie said, "But how do we know if Alvin still likes to dance?"

"Its worth a shot," Larryboy said, "Its all we have left."

"Ok," Archibald said, "I think I found the speaker system. Now to find music."

Outside the chamber, Alvin spoke. "Now its time for a special treat!" The citizens gasped, hoping for Alvin's mercy. But then Alvin added, "For me, of course!" Everyone groaned.

"I found some mp3 files!" Archibald said excitedly.

"And now," Alvin said, turning to face the walls of the Shame Chamber behind him.

"Turning the speakers on," Archibald said.

"It's time," Alvin continued, his excitement also soaring.

"Pressing play!" Archibald declares.

"To open-" Alvin began to say.

But at that moment, a female voice sang through the air followed by booming pop music. The slaves' eyes light up- they have not heard any music like it in a long time.

The track Archibald chose was upbeat and fast, and the lyrics were happy, singing about dancing especially. While a good amount of brave slaves, angry at being deprived at such happiness, had the courage to dance along, Alvin stood completely still. A weird look appeared in his eyes.

While Archibald continued to find a way to unlock the wires, Larryboy listened to the commotion outside. He smiled when the familiar, "Dance with me, Lampy!" rang out. That was all he needed to hear- his plan worked.

Confusion rose from a lot of the slaves, but as Alvin danced and more and more people joined in, the sad propaganda viewing became a full blown dance party.

Soon the voice singing in the song repeated the same first words that began the song, followed by a dramatic boom. Silence then ensued, everyone standing still and awkwardly, confused about what just happened.

As for Larryboy, he felt as if his heart skipped a beat. "That can't be the end of the song," he said to himself, "Maybe its one of those pauses in the middle of the song before the chorus gets repeated again." But as Larryboy listened and begged for the music to play again, all he heard was Alvin's voice.

"That was great!" Alvin cheered, "I felt so alive!" Then realization dawned over him. "Who was playing such cheerful music?"

The crowd was silent, some trying to make their confusion and innocence obvious by shrugging.

"Let me repeat that," Alvin said calmly, "Who played that music?"

No one moved or breathed, no matter now scared they reallt were.

Alvin looked up and yelled, "Arthie!" Alvin's glare landed on a small window on the wall to his left, which contained neither the Shame Chamber or the garage gates but two fancy doors and a small window near the ceiling.

"It wasn't me!" someone cried from the window, which appeared to have a control panel behind it.

"Then do you know where it came from?" Alvin asked, then added, "No lies!"

The voice was quiet for a moment before stuttering, "It came...from...the computer...in the... shame chamber..."

Alvin's face paled. Then he yelled, "Open the shame chamber!"

Inside the chamber, Larryboy and Archibald heard it all. They both looked at each other and continued to bend and pull at the cords, but no matter how hard they tried, the cords stayed strongly locked together by some sort of electric lock that lay right below Larryboy's face.

The crack between the metal walls sparked before becoming wider. More light that shone from outside the auditorium began to pour in.

Larryboy and Archibald froze, the walls that gave them their last protection betraying them.


	7. Arthie

**Chapter 7: Arthie**

 _"He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past."_

 _\- George Orwell_

This silence was a new silence. Never before was everyone so quiet and shocked at the same time.

There are different kinds of silence. There's the gap of silence when a conversation runs dry and awkward. There is also the kind of silence some one sets up out of anger and spite. Then there is the comfortable silence between two close friends who enjoy each other's presence so much to the point where conversation is unnecessary to avoid awkwardness.

But this silence was different. And as it lingered longer than it should have, all sorts of emotions filled the atmosphere it created.

The crowd stared at the figures in the Shame Chamber, especially the one tied up in it. Also known as the one they once called hero...

Alvin was also in shock. Surely he got the phone call, but even he did not believe it himself. But now, with the evidence in front of his wide eyes, he did not exactly know what to think or do next.

Archibald and Larryboy stared back at the crowd. Archibald did see a large amount of the people outside of the palace, but now he got to see them altogether. And he and Larryboy did not like what they saw.

A group of pale worn people stood together in a large auditorium, where the walls were grey and stained.

The tired sad eyes that lost their life stared holes at the two in the chamber. Their stained dark depressing clothing reflected the mood. What spooked Larryboy and Archibald the most was that they both recognized half the people. Barely recognized that is. They looked so different, the only thing that looked the same were the worn out features. Then there were some new faces as well, mostly young. How did they feel, growing up in such a hard place, learning about a faded hero of the past and finally seeing him as he was, right there? How come their families did not leave the town in the first place? How come none of them left? Were they not allowed to?

Alvin finally broke the silence by clearing his throat and saying, "Well look at what we have here."

Larryboy and Archibald were still frozen. Archibald clung to the yellow restraints. The duo were both surprised at how scared they were. They were never exactly scared of Alvin before, so why were they suddenly afraid now?

Alvin, making the atmosphere more tense, began to laugh, the same laughter that ate away at Larryboy's head, and turned to face the stunned crowd.

"Here he is," Alvin cackled, "Your former hero. Tied up and hanging around in the Shame Chamber. Pathetic, right?" No one said anything still.

"So Larryboy, how do you like the future?" Alvin asked with glee. "Isn't it grand?"

When Larryboy still made no reply, Alvin continued. "This just goes on to show your stupidity, you know. I mean, if you wanted to beat me before any of this happened, going to the future isn't a bright idea."

"We didn't exactly come here by choice," Larryboy finally replied.

"It doesn't change anything," Alvin said, "Seven years ago you were a failure and seven years today you still are. Oh, and speaking of failure," Alvin put on a larger smile, "Those other superhero friends of yours like to visit me uninvited and they all heard about your defeat. And well about five or four years ago this old Bok Choy man even said this was a disappointment. Not of the town, but

of you as superhero. Now I don't know how special this guy was to you, but anyone who calls you a disappointment has to hurt you in some way, right?"

Larryboy glowered at Alvin, trying hard to hide how badly that comment hurt. Disappointment. That word hit him like a pile of bricks. Bok Choy, his superhero mentor, and all the other superheroes, saw him as a disappointment.

Larryboy's eyes took one dart to the side to look at Archibald's face and saw that he somehow held a straight face somehow. But he still wondered what could he be thinking about. Was it the same as the other superheroes?

"And now," Alvin said, "Don't even think you have a chance to go back. You will stay here and be imprisoned here until you die," Alvin smirked, "Which shouldn't be long!"

The Alvin turned to face Archibald. "Oh Arthie, how good of you to come as well! Don't think I'll let you off the hook so easily!" Alvin then took a closer look at Archibald.

"Hold on, what's this?" Alvin asked, "It seems you already have one of my fancy collars on. Well, I would reward you for abiding by the rules, but you are trying to free our captive here, so..."

Then Alvin pulled out another remote from his belt and aimed it at Archibald. The crowd looked uneasy as if they knew what was about to happen.

Archibald also made a quick assumption of what was to happen. He then looked at Larryboy's lock and had an idea that just might work...

Alvin pushed down on one button on the remote. Archibald's collar buzzed before it sparked again. Archibald screamed as he felt the electric charges shake his entirety. But still trying to control himself, Archibald pulled his collar up against the yellow lock.

When Alvin released the button, he realized what Archibald did. Archibald was hunched over in pain as his body twitched from the shocks, but his collar was no longer a clear reflective steel but a burnt black. In fact, the collar snapped in half and fell to the floor. The same went for the lock, which caused the yellow ropes to unravel and drop Larryboy to the floor.

Larryboy and Archibald then looked at each other. They were thinking exactly the same thing.

Run.

Archibald and Larryboy tore out from the chamber and around the suddenly chaotic crowd. The two ran towards one garage door, but a group of robots suddenly surrounded it. The other doors were guarded as well. That only led them to one other wall- the wall with the large doors that led to the rest of the building.

Alvin was furious. "What are you waiting for?" Alvin yelled at his minions. "Go after them!"

As a group of robots flew after Larryboy and Archibald, the rest of the crowd were in a frenzy.

Larryboy and Archibald ran as fast as they could, ignoring the yells of he crowd, the robots, and Alvin himself. They were about to reach the door if it were not for a new barricade of robots.

Larryboy yelled as he grabbed Archibald and shot a plunger to the wall, effectively flying over the robots.

The wide doors swung open as Larryboy and Archibald flew into it. Then, ignoring the loud commotion from the room, they darted through what appeared to be a long hallway.

Unlike the rest of the town and auditorium, Alvin's building was lavishingly beautiful. The floor was covered in a red velvet carpet and a golden light hit every piece of shiny furniture. The whole building was air conditioned, making the place comfortably cooler than the summer heat outside.

Doors were scattered throughout the walls of the hallway, but Larryboy and Archie did not know which one to open. Meanwhile, they had an army of robots somewhere behind them, and there were probably more robots roaming in front of them.

The duo eventually came across what appeared to be the lobby of the palace. The walls and floor were golden and a big bright chandelier hung from the ceiling. To the side was a grand staircase, which Larryboy and Archibald took.

Meanwhile, somewhere else in the palace, Alvin burst through the doors of a dark room. He called off his robots to stop chasing Larryboy and Archibald. He had a better idea.

The room was not completely dark, as the walls and floors reflected a dim blue light. The light reflected off of Alvin's head as he approached a metal hospital bed completely stripped off its covers and pillows. It was more of a table than a bed now.

Alvin approached the still figure who lay on the bed while being plugged into the machine responsible for emitting the blue light. The walls were completely made of metal, but somehow they contained millions of scratch marks all over them.

Alvin reached over to the dark figure in the room, whom Alvin assumed was not actually asleep, and pulled a cord, unplugging the figure from the machine. The machine turned off its light, darkening the room more. The only light now came from the hallway outside the room.

Alvin stood over the bed. "Get up." Nothing moved.

"I know you're not sleeping. Get up." No response still.

"For the last time," Alvin said, raising a hand, "Get up!" Alvin then slapped the still body, but immediately regretted it as his hand throbbed from slapping something hard and metallic.

Two pairs of eyes opened and stared at Alvin blankly. Alvin was unnerved by the fact that while the right eye looked like a normal eye the left eye was a glass len over an eye with a red pupil.

"I have a job for you," Alvin said, "And I am sure you will not fail."

Meanwhile, Archibald turned to look behind him to notice that they have not heard any robots near them at all. Although that made it seem like they were safe, this just made him worry they were in greater danger.

Larryboy kept his eyes straight ahead, not sure where he was going. They were either on the third or fourth floor now- he lost count. Then Larryboy spotted a door that seemed promising somehow.

Larryboy swung the door open and without saying a word, Archibald followed. They shut the door quickly and made sure to lock it.

Archibald and Larryboy leaned against the door, trying to catch their breaths. They looked around to see that they were in a bare but clean room, the only pieces of furniture being a chair, a desk, and a mattress on the floor with a thin blanket and pillow.

"I don't get it," Larryboy said to Archie, "How did this happen?"

"Well, you must have lost to Alvin somehow," Archibald replies.

"But all that happened so far in our time was that he hit me with Lampy," Larryboy said, "Its not like that was it...it couldn't have been! There has to be more that happened that day that we didn't get to!"

"Yes, but you heard Alvin. He keeps it classified. And while the citizens who witnessed it might have some clues, even they might know the whole story or would even agree to talk about it to us," said Archibald.

"So how do we know?" Larryboy asked.

"I can tell you," said another voice in the room.

Larryboy and Archibald quickly turned to the right to see they did not invade an empty room. But their jaws dropped at the sight of who they ran into.

The two were silent until Larryboy spoke up, stuttering in shock, "Archibald...why...why are there two of you?"

The person Larryboy was referring to was, in fact, Archibald himself. Only he had a working collar around his neck and an earpiece strapped to the right side of his head. A coiled wire hung from the earpiece to a small black box, which latched on to a tattered black suit.

"Well, I am actually the Archibald off this time," the future Archibald stated, then added, "And technically I am 'Arthie' now."

"Arthie?" Archibald asked in surprise, "You're, or I am, that Arthie Alvin keeps talking to?"

"Yes," future Archibald said, "I've gotten use to it. He never seemed to find out our real name."

"But Archibald, what are you doing here?" Larryboy asked, "And what happened to Bumblyburg?"

"Can you tell us?" Archibald asked himself.

Future Archibald's face darkened, but then he nodded. "It all started on that day, seven years ago..."


	8. What An Ugly Tale

**Chapter 8: What An Ugly Tale**

 _"This story isn't fictional. And that's why all of your 'tragedies' are so stupid that it makes me yawn."_

 _\- Jin_

 _SEVEN YEARS AGO_

"I'm an ERROR!" Larryboy burst out.

Archibald said nothing after Larryboy's outburst. Larryboy looked up, his vision cleared a little. "So what was that thing you said?"

Archibald hoped Larryboy would not see the panic that spread across his face.

"Well what I said was...that you should just keep going," Archibald fake smiled, but it did not matter as Larryboy did not notice it.

"Keep going?" Larryboy asked, "You really think so?"

"Of course!" Archibald lied, "You're that hero, right?"

The two waited in the alley a couple more minutes until Larryboy was sure his vision could not get any better.

Archibald and Larryboy looked around outside of the ally. Robots were still everywhere, and screaming filled the air. Larryboy smiled confidently as Archibald looked completely nervous. He just was not sure...

"So do you think you can handle it?" Archibald asked.

"Sure, Archie!" Larryboy said, "Remember the plan! I just need to find that satellite controlling the robots and destroy it! So just head back to the Larry-Cave and try to find it!"

"Ok then," Archibald said.

Larryboy then ran out of the ally triumphantly, yelling, "I AM THAT HERO!" with Archibald watching.

Later that evening, Archibald sat in the LarryCave, hunched over at his computer, tried after a long day. A voice in his headphones suddenly woke him up.

"Archie!" Larryboy yelled.

Archibald jumped up, causing his chair to fall backwards.

"What is it?" Archibald asked tiredly, pulling himself and the chair back up.

"Did you...did you find the satellite yet?" Larryboy asked over the sounds of someone screaming.

"Yes.." Archibald mumbled groggily, "Yes, I did! The computer tracked it while I was...resting...Now let's see here..."

Archibald them froze, staring at the screen. "What? That can't be!"

"What?"

"The computer...lost the location of the satellite! But that's...impossible!" Archibald sputtered.

"What do you mean?" Larryboy asked, equally surprised.

"The our computer's satellite somehow...how do I put this? Something blocked our signal for our computer's telescope and made me lose the location of Alvin's telescope," Archie said confused. "Here, the computer's searching again."

After five minutes, Archibald replied again. "Ok, I found it this time! It's on- wait, no!" Archibald yelled frustrated again. A map with a red dot on the computer suddenly glitched and pixelated. When it cleared, the map was reset to the Larry Manor as its default location, the red dot indicating the location of the satellite gone.

"What's happening, Archibald?" Larryboy asked.

Archibald had no idea what to tell him. "The computer had the location...but then the map reset. Hold on, I was able to see the location of the satellite." After a few more quicks, Archibald found nothing. "I found the original location of the satellite but it appears to have moved."

"Oh," Larryboy groaned.

"Look, I could keep trying to track down the satellite, but I'm afraid I'll keep losing it. I don't know what's wrong with the computer but I do know that Alvin's having his satellite moved around town at a very fast pace," Archibald said.

"Well, why don't we just continue like this?" Larryboy asked, "We have the answers, we just need to see if we can hold out for that long."

"All right then," Archibald said.

"Take a break for the night, Archie," Larryboy said, "I can handle it."

"Ok," Archibald said, "Good night, Master Larry."

From that moment, Archibald at first thought that Larryboy lasted about three months. But he later learned he was wrong.

Larryboy lasted less than one day.

The whole day was a nightmare for everyone. The robots were more damaging than anyone expected. Even Alvin was surprised at their strength, but that did not stop him from celebrating and dancing to not music but the fearful screams echoing through the streets.

In the middle of the day, Larryboy found himself staring up at the blue sky. The sky's color seemed to be the only thing that was normal.

Below the colored sky of irony sat a city crumbling apart. The robots were metallic terrorists, setting out to strike fear into the citizens and destroy the town.

Larryboy broke out of his distraction to the sounds of a woman yelling. He quickly turned to see a carrot lady and her two children in the way of a building toppling. He watched in horror as two robots used their claws to push the building down.

Larryboy found himself running and jumping down the roof he stood upon, shooting a plunger to some unknown spot. Was he going to make it?

The lady and her two kids were clearly running, but he was unsure what would happen.

Suddenly, Larryboy heard laughing. The cursed laughing that never seemed to leave his head. The laughter that always haunting this time the laughter sounded more real in his ears.

Larryboy fell face down on the street, missing his estimated target entirely. The sound of more crumbling buildings and the screams that followed mixed with the never ending laughter. Even if he did physically block out the sounds, they permanently locked inside his head, eating away.

The laughter grew louder until Larryboy looked up from the ground to see that Alvin was actually standing above him the whole entire time.

"What's wrong, Larryboy?" Alvin asked, smiling with victory, "Isn't it ironic? The one who destroys smiles laughs more than the one trying to save them."

Larryboy stood up. "Isn't this enough?" Larryboy asked angrily, looking around at the wreckage, "If you want to rule this town, then why bother to destroy it?"

"Foolish cucumber," Alvin said, "I want to rule a new town. A new Bumblyburg. One where everything is how I like it. That means I must destroy the old and rebuild it as I like."

"Of course," Alvin added, walking circles around Larryboy, "I'm not the one to build it all, and my minions are too occupied already. So, the job lands on those who already live here. They will remake their own home for me."

"There's no way they are going to obey you," Larryboy replied.

"Oh really?" Alvin asked, "Look around you, Larryboy. That is what my robot's jobs are also for. They strike fear into these people, making them fear me. And do you know how many people were already lost?" Larryboy's face paled beneath his mask as Alvin continued. "Why mess with the person who holds the very key to your destruction? Everyone is cooperating." Alvin then turned to face Larryboy. "Except you!" Alvin pointed accusingly at Larryboy.

"There's nothing you can do that would make me obey you," Larryboy said.

"I don't want you to obey me," Alvin said, "I want you to join me."

"Join you!?" Larryboy asked, surprised.

"Yes," Alvin said happily, "Think about it! You can't seem to be able to fight anything by yourself and I have a little special occupation that will fit you the best!"

"No. Never," Larryboy replied.

"Come on, Larryboy. You know you want to eventually. Even though I loathe you, I can always change you to my taste. We will be like peas in a pod, two humps on a camel, the fork to my spoon, the peanut butter to my jelly, the foot to my kidney!" Alvin said tauntingly.

Larryboy made no reply.

"Or would you like to work alone?" Alvin asked, "Go ahead and be that way. Work alone, fail alone, and die alone, with no one around you. Your choice. Because in the end, everything still will be your fault."

With that Alvin snapped his fingers and a robot flew down, which Alvin hopped on and flew away. Larryboy stood there still, looking around at what the town has become.

Larryboy did not tell Archibald it, but that was the day he broke.

For the next three months, a cycle ensued. Larryboy would come home to the mansion, which was the safest place in Bumblyburg at the moment but only he and Archibald knew, and day by day he would run through the city. Archibald would continue to search for the satelite, but the systems kept becoming slower to the point of being unusable.

Larryboy would also come home less, but Archibald did not question it and figured he was just working hard.

The day Larryboy never come home was the same day Archibald decided the computer had enough. Even if he was not looking for the satellite, the computer moved about one frame per hour.

Archibald tried to call Larryboy numerous times, but Larryboy never answered back.

"Larryboy," Archibald called, "Please answer this time. I am fully aware that you can hear me! Larryboy," Archibald kept repeating.

"Larryboy might hear you, but it seems unlikely he will answer back anytime soon," a voice said behind Archibald.

Archibald froze as he recognized the voice. Someone behind him spun his chair around. Archibald found himself face to face with a grinning Awful Alvin.

"How...how did you get in here?" Archibald asked, his anger rising.

"Let's just say your secret is not safe anymore, Arthie!" Alvin smirked.

"Arthie?" Archibald asked, "My name is Archibald!" He said annoyed. "And how do you somewhat know my name?"

"The same way I knew that this cave was under that mansion above. Which, I might add, are not compatible with the rest of Alvinville," Alvin said.

"Alvinville?" Archibald repeated.

"Have you been paying attention to your fancy computers?" Alvin asked, "This city is nothing but three months worth of ashes! And speaking of your computer," Alvin cocked his head to the side, "Has your computer been running a little on the slow side, lately?"

Archibald blinked in shock. "Yes...that was you!?"

"Yup!" Alvin grinned, "My satellite-which you failed to find, although it was fun playing our game of hide and seek- had a special design. My satellite was more than just a satellite, but a computer where I wrote out all my commands for my robots. And this same computer was the one I used to build a firewall against yours. Every Time you tried to locate my satellite, I sent you back a virus. And considering how persistent you were, I already sent you three hundred viruses!"

"But why was your satellite moving around so much?" Archibald asked.

"My robots, of course!" Alvin said happily, "I hired a group of five to continually fly around Bumblyburg with my satelite, making sure Larryboy never gained sight of it."

Archibald was silent for a minute, realizing what they planned to do turned out to be a waste. Then Archibald asked, "How did you even gain all this? From the robots to the satellite?"

"Months of planning, Arthie," Alvin said, "Prison gives you a lot of time to think. And I built everything under your noses, stealing whatever I needed. Eventually my robots learned how to build themselves for me. And it was not that hard to build such things if you consider my other great inventions before."

"So with that technology," Archibald stated, "You found this place."

"Of course not! Well, I was aware that the viruses had to be going somewhere. But there was no need to use technology," Alvin then grinned, "Because Larryboy told me!"

Archibald took a while to realize what Alvin said. Then he answered with a very low, very hard, and very cold, "What?"

Alvin just continued grinning. Archibald stood up from his seat.

"What have you done to Larryboy?"

"Nothing!" Alvin said, "Nothing yet!"

"You captured him!?" Archibald asked, panicking.

"No," Alvin said, "He came to me personally."

"No..." Archibald could not believe it, "That's impossible."

"Oh?" Alvin said, "Well why don't you see yourself? We must get out of here anyway- my robots are just about ready to destroy this place."

"Destroy it?" Archibald asked, nervous.

"You live too far from the center of town," Alvin said, "And you're just too far out of reach from my diameter of wickedness. Besides," Alvin began to pull Archibald away from the computer, "You're never going back here."

Minutes later, Archibald found himself in the claw of a robot, dangling from 400 feet. Alvin sat on top of the robot freely, but neither position could be deemed safe anyway.

Archibald turned around to see a group of five robots surrounding the mansion far away. Suddenly, a bright red light shot from all ten of their claws, gathering at the heart of the mansion, which in a second become a crumbling and burning away dark frame of ashes. The fire shown bright in Archibald's eyes as he looked down at the robot claw locked around his lower body.

"They shoot lasers from their claws?" Archibald asked.

"Yes," Alvin said, nodding, "So one wrong move and you're toast."

Archibald found no courage to disobey anyway. Soon the buildings of Bumblyburg were much closer. Archibald looked down to see a wall of robots circling the city.

Alvin seemed to have noticed Archibald's gaze, for he said, "You should have seen the mess a month ago! Crowds trying so hard to leave everything behind and run." Alvin chuckled. "My robots have done a good job of preventing anyone from escaping alive, but now its time to close the boarders for good."

"But how?" Archibald asked.

Alvin pointed to a tall massive construction sight in the middle of the city. As the robot they were riding on went in its direction, Archibald watched in horror to see Bumblyburg's own citizens working to build the city, hauling wheelbarrows full of bricks, steel poles, and cement.

"Larryboy said they would never listen to me," Alvin sneered, "But look, they have not only given up escape but are building my very own palace from what materials are left from their own homes. They work surprisingly fast. Most of the interior of the place is finished."

Archibald squinted at the people, and saw something the same about all of them.

"What are those shiny things around each of their necks? Those things that all blink green lights?" Archibald asked.

"Ah," Alvin said, "Those are of my own creation. Everyone must wear one."

"You're controlling them?" Archibald asked in shock.

"Well, while that is part of their function, I decided to only use it for emergencies. But, if anyone steps out of line," Alvin then held up a small remote and pushed a button. At the second, every single person Archibald saw below jumped and screamed as their collars emitted electric sparks.

"Zap!" Alvin said enthusiastically, "You see, when I control them I can't see how much pain and agony they are in. And, as for your previous question of closing borders..."

The robot came to the roof of the large structure. Archibald gasped to see what he was searching for the past three months- what else, but a satellite.

"Oh yes," Alvin said, reading Archibald's mind, "This is its final resting place, considering Larryboy pretty much gave up. Now look at the contraption next to it."

Archibald, still in the robot's claw, turned his head an inch to see what looked like a radio tower.

"Minion 346," Alvin said to the robot, "Get me down."

"Yes, master," the robot said, grabbing Alvin off its head and placing him down on the dark cement roof. Alvin walked up to the tower which poked up into the darkening sky. He opened a control panal, fiddled with a few wires before the tip of the tower began to emit a red glow.

Archibald watched as some kind of translucent layer of plasma sprout in a perfect circle from the tower, expanding across the sky. The film spread out, covering the entire sky with a dark red tone and reflecting all the buildings below it. Everyone on the ground stopped working and watched.

"There," Alvin said, "I just formed a huge impenetrable dome shield around my city. No one can come in or get out."

"No one?" Archibald sputtered.

"No one," Alvin confirmed. "But why would you want to leave, Arthie? I have a new job for you!"

"A job?" Archibald asked in fear.

Alvin leaped back onto the robot, who flew downwards and into the almost complete building through a large window.

Archibald looked around at the impressive interior. He had to admit, Alvin got the citizens to do a really good job.

The robot stopped in front of a door in a hallway. Alvin hopped off and turned to face Archibald in the robot's grasp.

"Collar."

A snapping metal sound came from the robot's hand around Archibald.

"Release."

Archibald was dropped on the floor and the robot promptly left. Archibald saw that the same metal collar everyone else wore was on his neck. Alvin then pulled Archibald up and slapped something to the side of his head and on his suit. Archibald looked down to see a small black box clipped to his jacket and a coiled wire leading to an ear piece latched to his head with a microphone on the other side.

Alvin kicked the door in front of him open and shoved Archibald in the room behind it. Archibald looked up from the floor to see a bare room with a fortunately clean mattress but on the floor, a wooden chair, a small lamp on a desk.

"What...what is this?" Archibald asked.

"Well, considering you were once Larryboy's partner," Alvin said, standing in the doorway, "I have decided to make you my second in command! You'll thank me later. As for your special head-thing, that is what I will use to talk to you. While the microphone will only turn on with your will and a small switch on that black compartment," Alvin pointed to the small box connected to his headpiece, "My voice can come and go in your ear as I please. Oh, and don't try taking that off your head. It won't move, forever locked to your head. Well," Alvin finished, holding a hand up, "Make yourself at home, Arthie!"

Before Alvin could leave, Archibald stopped him, saying, "Wait!"

Alvin turned back around to glare at Archibald, "What is it?"

"Larryboy," Archibald urged, "You said he told you where our cave was. And that he gave up."

"Right!" Alvin said, "Oh you'll meet him eventually. He's here- and well let me say, he's real...'cozy.' Buenos noches!" With that, Alvin slammed the door shut.

The next day, Archibald was wandering around Alvin's "palace." Every robot he passed left him alone, probably because of his new position, but he exchanged worried glances with the normal slaves all the same. They were all worried and wondered the same: where was Larryboy?

When Alvin was not looking, Archibald would talk to the slaves to see how their lives were like. Apparently the most fortune lived in the most stable houses, were the walls were the least cracked and broken, water was available for almost the whole day, electricity was still working, and the amount of destruction was a small amount. But that was just the gilded layer of the population.

People are angry. Angry that Larryboy seemingly gave up on them and disappeared. Archibald was angry. All day Archibald pondered on what Alvin said. Surely Larryboy could not have just given up

Surely he did not betray the secret safety of his closest friend. Yet here Archibald was, working as an overseer to Alvin's slaves.

It was no better for Archibald either. Besides Alvin never saying his name right, Alvin made sure Archibald suffered at the sights of the horror around him. And Archibald tried pulling the headpiece off found it firmly locked around his head, slightly squeezing it somewhat. That morning, Archibald woke up to Alvin barking orders, and that same voice taunted Archibald about the state of the town and of Larryboy's state, which he left vague to annoy Archibald more, as much as he could command.

A couple days later, Archibald came across another construction site. He was there to assist Alvin, who was giving orders to a group of citizens.

"What are you building here?" Archibald asked.

"Not building. Destroying," Alvin said, pointing to a building, "We are getting rid of the Bumblyburg Science Labs, as the only useful one in my control is already in my palace. As for those things," Alvin pointed to a pile of machines and shelves of glass beakers, "I'm salvaging what I need and destroying what's left. Here: sort through this book I found and see if there's anything useful." Alvin shoved a big book into Archibald's grasp.

As Alvin yelled orders and activated a few people's collars, Archibald flipped through what appeared to be a heavy binder full of notes one of the scientist wrote. Archibald sighed at all the information he found on the many inventions and discoveries recorded and felt sad that Alvin would destroy a good amount of them. Then Archibald found a special article.

He stared at what he read. "They...made a time machine?" Archibald whispered, reading each paragraph carefully. He could not believe it, but he wanted to. This could be an opportunity to change everything.

Archibald looked at the pile of machines. Perhaps the time machine was in there? Archibald looked over the time machine's description, hoping to see it sticking out of the clutter.

"Arthie!" Alvin yelled, pushing his way towards Archibald.

"Yes sir?" Archibald asked, hastingly ripping half a page about the time machine out and shutting the binder.

"Did you find anything interesting?" Alvin asked.

"Err, no!" Archibald replied, "But let me help sort through the inventions!"

Alvin grabbed the book from Archibald, a little suspicious, but made no reply as he walked away.

Archibald tore through the pile of machines, clutching the ripped paper, which he looked over to see it did not include much of the detailed information he read. At last Archibald found in the back of the pile a large oval machine the size of a car with a large opening at one side.

"That has to be it!" Archibald said to himself, "That's what the notes said!"

Archibald ran into the machine, looking at the mechanisms and remembering the instructions from the book.

"Arthie!" Alvin's voice called.

Archibald panicked. He quickly chose a date with the number keys.

"Arthie!" Alvin called again. "Arthie, what are you doing?!"

Archibald turned to see that Alvin running towards him. He was busted.

"Arthie! Leave that thing alone!" But Archibald got ready to pull the leaver down anyway.

"Arthie!" Alvin was standing inside the machine behind Archibald, trying to pull Archibald away from the lever.

Archibald looked at the blinking screen and realized what date he put in. He messed up the number of the month and year, setting a destination several months and even a couple of years before he intended. But this was his only chance to go back.

Archibald yanked the switch down. Suddenly, both Archibald and Alvin found themselves pushed flat against the floor, screaming as the machine zoomed back in time.

The machine suddenly stopped moving as fast as it started. Archibald looked out the machine to see that they were in normal Bumblyburg during an early evening. The time machine was in a corner behind the still functioning science labs.

But before Archibald could take a step, Alvin had already punched in the date of their former time, pushing the lever down hard.

"Arthie!" Alvin yelled angrily a second before Archibald's last glimpse and last chance for a hopeful future disappeared before his eyes. Archibald screamed in terror of this lost chance as the machine quickly flashed away not even a minute before appearing. It was so quick that Archibald let go of the ripped notes he was holding right as the machine left.

The paper floated through the soft breeze. At that moment, the Archibald of that time was peacfully walking on the sidewalk with a bag of groceries when the paper flew right into his face, abruptly causing him to drop his groceries...

Back in the present, Alvin angrily threw Archibald out of the machine. He stomped up to him.

"I would punish you, Arthie, but lucky for you I haven't gotten around to building something I call the Shame Chamber!" Alvin then turned to a couple of robots. "Break that machine at once! Then take it back to my new laboratory so that it can never be used again!"

Archibald watched on his knees as the time machine was crushed torn by one single robot, who finished by lifting it up like it was mere cardboard and carrying it out of sight.

A week later, and Archibald was still frustrated. Not just at Alvin, but at Larryboy, whom Alvin still has not told him of where he was. He tried to deny it to keep Larryboy's and his own bravery and hope together, but from the start of the situation, Archibald had his doubts about Larryboy's success. And how badly Archibald wished they did not unravel into reality.

Alvin's laughter at the end of a hallway interrupted Archibald's thoughts. Archibald ran down the hallway to a large doorway to a huge room. The whole day those doors were shut, and Alvin told Archie that behind it was an experiment he was working on, forbidden from the public.

Archibald poked his head behind the side of the door and gasped.

What appeared to be Alvin's new fancy laboratory was one of the biggest rooms he has ever seen in the palace. But Archibald did not pay attention to the blinking machinery and scribbled blue prints. He stared straight at the center of the room.

Alvin stood next to who he referred to be his "vice-president," Lampy, who seemed be the only one who has not changed this entire time. Alvin faced a flat metal rectangular surface that lay back on a small stand on a slight angle. There, fidgeting under a mass of yellow cords, was none other than Larryboy.

Alvin continued laughing as Larryboy continued to watch and struggle under the yellow restraints.

Larryboy finally gave up and sighed, "What an ugly tale."

"What? Getting tired of hearing it?" Alvin laughed, "Its your story, after all. So let's see, where was I? Oh right. So there I was, walking proudly through town in my parade of robots."

"Stop!" Larryboy yelled but Alvin ignored him.

"And as I waved to everyone's sad faces, I round a street intersection to find the fallen hero curled up in a dark corner!" Alvin laughed on.

"Enough!" Larryboy begged angrily under the tight yellow cords that stretched and lay around him, side to side from top to bottom.

"Shaking and smiling to himself, he was whispering to himself. Ah but those smiles were all a lie to protect himself!"

Larrboy resumed trying to escape again, pushing against his yellow restraints.

"Then I, the vigilant King Alvin," Alvin said, striking a dramatic pose, "Came and ridiculed such lies. And then the silent ashamed hero, states- no, asks- no, begs! He begs! He begged to take up my previous offer of joining me! He thought he was promised to have all his pain taken away, but he isn't all that smart, right?"

"Be quiet!" Larryboy yelled.

"Oh what an ugly tale, indeed," Alvin smirked, "And all true."

"You...you lied!" Larryboy snapped.

"And whose fault is it for foolishly believing such lies?" Alvin asked, "Its all your fault, you know. But you still did it, the great Larryboy agreed to being defeated. And I granted your request, because finally the firenin your eyes was dying out- I'm hungry for those eyes! But hey, its all that you have wanted and more." Larryboy stared angrily and silently at Alvin.

"Don't give me that look, Larryboy," Alvin said. "Besides, that won't hide your broken tragic heart before me. You're in the belly of the beast, after all!"

"So, now that you have me, what are you going to do?" Larryboy asked

"I told you months ago- I have a special place for you. But, sad for you, I need to put your love and ego to rest in peace," Alvin said.

Larryboy grew worried, along with Archibald watching from afar.

"What do you mean?" Larryboy asked, failing to hide his fear in his voice.

"The weird little you will be soon be born anew," Alvin said, grinning, along with his lamp friend, "Let's just say we are going through a little makeover. And you will never be the same again." Alvin then pushed a button on the stand holding Larryboy up, which caused Larryboy to yell as the cords wrapped around him tighter.

Alvin laughed at his pain, "You'll be just a monster, I'm sure- just like me. I can't deny how much I love this!"

"A monster?" Larryboy asked, panic rising more as the cords moved around him like snakes, "What do you mean?"

"Its not about what I mean, but about how you don't know anything, and you don't know what to do! Like how it was made evident when you abandoned the people of this town for your own desires, leaving them in my hands." Alvin then grinned again and pulled out his small remote, pressing the one large button out of two.

Archibald then realized what Alvin was doing and could do nothing but brace himself for the pain. He tried to stay quiet, but the electric shocks still made him scream out loud.

Archibald stumbled into the doorway, catching the attention of Alvin and Larryboy.

"Archibald?" Larryboy called his name softly.

"Arthie, no eavesdropping!" Alvin yelled, "But I guess that since you are my head slave, you were bound to learn this truth eventually. But still," with that Alvin aimed the remote at Archibald and pressed the upper button, shocking only Archibald once more.

"Not, Archie!" Larryboy screamed, "Why?! Stop this already!"

"Stop your whining," Alvin scolded, "Will you suck it up now? This fate cannot be unwound." Alvin then giggled about his unknown plans. "Oh Larryboy, I just can't wait to meet your new self!"

Archibald moaned on the floor while Larryboy watched in horror. Alvin said out loud to himself, "He became so victorious over me before to watch it come falling down. How foolish can he be?"

"This is cruelty!" Larryboy protested, "Why can't you get enough of watching people get hurt?"

"Because Larryboy!" Alvin replied, "I have the urge to see their shaking hearts that never give up just break. Besides, I can see part of myself buried in their eyes, the same emotions haunting and taunting their inadequate lives. Now you all may feel the pain you caused me. And how fun is it to be bad!"

"Its not fun!" Larryboy protested, "It's terrible!"

"Really?" Alvin said, "It's living in you too, crawling inside? There has to be badness inside of you digging deep, as you did reveal that secret location of yours out of hopelessness. But if you still deny it, I'll make you bad like me. Because, Larryboy, not everyone can be happy. In this cold as stone, real tragedy," Alvin them smirked, "You can be the king. But I'm the king, so ha!"

"I can't deny that I'm not perfect," Larryboy sputtered, "But why would I join you?"

"We've been over this, Larryboy!" Alvin replied, "You failed to be the hero this time. And if you can't be the hero, its about time to play the villain. Cheers to the years and life you made, but it's time for your ego to slip and shake as I proceed to change all that!"

Alvin walked over to Larryboy and pulled out his purple cape from beneath the yellow ropes. He then walked over to Archibald and held it over him.

"At this moment," Alvin said, holding the cape up with two hands, "The current Larryboy is no more." At this, Alvin ripped the cape in half and dropped the two halves on the floor in front of Archibald. "But, wait wouldn't you think your old self broke apart from that moment when you stopped being the hero everyone thought they knew?"

"Please give it back!" Larryboy screamed, "Stop this already! Give this city back to the people at least! Stop making them suffer!"

"Quite the plea," Alvin mocked, "But do you think that I care? You just want them to be happy again so they will think you are a hero again." Alvin cackled before continuing, "Well, its about time your happy endings ended. This is just one fated snare. Welcome to horrible, fanatical, fictional-" Alvin pressed another button on Larryboy's stand, causing the table to lean backwards and become horizontal "-reality!"

Archibald weakly stood up. "Wait! What are you doing?"

Alvin turned around to face Archibald again. "Didn't I explain it too much already?" With an irritated sigh, Alvin yelled, "I need some help in here!"

Two robots came to the doorway of the lab. "Perfect," Alvin said, "Show Arthie here the exit for me. Although he can watch from there if he desires."

"Wait!" Archibald yelled as the two robots pulled him back to the doorway. At that moment a white tube in the shape of a cylinder started to descend from the ceiling above Larryboy.

"Actually, Arthie, I find it crucial that you watch this. Therefore you and I will be the only ones who know about this," Alvin said.

"I'll know about it too!" Larryboy told Alvin.

"No you won't," Alvin replied, "Didn't you listen before?"

Larryboy's eyes widened when he realized the message of Alvin's words.

"No!" he protested as the large tube was still falling, "You can't do this! Stop this already! This can't happen!" Larryboy continued to scream as he struggled against the yellow cords.

"Its too late to be the hero now," Alvin said, giggling. Then his laughter erupted from him, echoing through room.

Larryboy turned to see Archibald, who was in the grasps of the robots, being forced to watch. The two met eyes as Alvin continued laughing. Larryboy and Archibald both stopped struggling to move as they both read the other's expression as the same: "goodbye."

The tube finally circle around Alvin and Larryboy, touching the ground around them and blocking them from Archibald's view. The only thing left to watch were the shadows cast against the tube from the inside.

Archibald could only blink throughout the next hour as he listened to screaming and laughing over and over again.

"Larryboy," he muttered to no one. Archibald could only wonder how all that happened made Larryboy feel.

"I'm sorry." And with that, new tears made their way around his quivering frown.

* * *

 **So that's it then. This chapter didn't exist in the original, did it?**

 **May or may not have used some song lyrics in this chapter...wonder if anyone recognizes it.**

 **Oh yeah, the quotes. I thought they would make a nice touch. I gather statements from all sorts of authors and writers.**

 **If I don't continue this, like I said in the first chapter, I'm leaving the original story up. If I see that people are really enjoying this story...maybe, just maybe...**

 **If you want to find me elsewhere, I'm on Deviant Art as Zee126 and on Tumblr as Okapi-Queen. That's where you'll find all my personal work that's been keeping me busy.**

 **I feel bad that I'm leaving this at such a cliffhanger. I'm still active here, just not writing.**

 **Well, farewell for now.**


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